SECURITY GUARANTEES IN IRAQ….Apparently President Bush has abandoned his effort to unilaterally conclude a security treaty with Iraq by calling it a “Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship” instead of a treaty:
“It’s not going to have a security guarantee,” a senior administration official said Tuesday. […]
The administration has maintained that the agreement would not rise to the level of a treaty. The “security guarantee” statement appeared in the announcement because Iraqis wanted it on the table, the administration official said. But, he said, the United States does not believe it to be necessary. “We say, look, if you want a security guarantee, that will be a treaty, and a treaty will have to go to our Senate,” endangering the whole agreement, he said.
Some rare good sense from the Bush administration. Good to hear.
